State titles a family tradition

Onome Jemerigbe, the Rams' starting sophomore point guard, has helped St. Mary's reach today's CIF Division II state basketball finals at Power Balance Pavilion, where the Rams (28-2) face Rialto (33-3). Tipoff is at 6 p.m.

"Onome's the X-factor," St. Mary's head coach Tom Gonsalves said. "People can't match up with her. ... She's really hard to guard, defensively she's all over the court, and she's a good free-throw shooter.

"When you have a point guard who can draw fouls and hit free throws in big games like these last few, that's huge."

Jemerigbe - who is averaging 8.5 points, four assists and 3.5 steals per game - didn't convert a field goal in Saturday's 56-48 win over Del Oro in the Northern California championship game. She didn't have one in a 56-44 win over Dougherty Valley in the NorCal semifinals, either.

In those two games combined, however, she was 16 for 20 from the line.

"She's getting hit a lot," Gonsalves said. "Her shooting percentage hasn't been very good (recently), but her free-throw percentage is outstanding."

St. Mary's is vying for a state-title three-peat for the second time in a decade. Gonsalves, now in his 10th year, won championships in his first three seasons starting with the 2001-02 campaign.

For five of those 10 seasons, a member of the Jemerigbe family has been in the starting lineup. Afure Jemerigbe, who was the first player off the bench this season for Cal as a true freshman, started all four years in high school, was twice named The Record's Player of the Year and was selected a McDonald's All-American as a senior. Alongside Chelsea Gray, she comprised half of one of California's best prep tandems ever.

While Onome shares the last name, her game is something completely different.

Listed at 5-foot-6, she's a half-foot shorter than her older sister, a shooting guard whose 5.4 rebounds a game as a senior led the Rams. Afure was also second in scoring (13.8).

"I'm quicker than she is," Onome said with a smile. "I like to create; she's more of a player people create for. Points don't matter to me as long as we play well. My job is to distribute to my teammates. Ali (Gibson) is a great finisher, so I'm trying to get her the ball."

There are some similarities. Despite her lack of height, Onome's perfectly comfortable in the paint.

"We grew up playing basketball together," Onome said. "I watched her play and I learned a lot, like the way she drives. I try to attack the basket like she does."

Gibson, the only returning starter from the two state championship teams and the only Rams player to start alongside both sisters, is averaging 17 points, five rebounds, five steals and five assists per game. She says Onome's contributions aren't necessarily on the stat sheet, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

"Onome plays hard," Gibson said. "She knows if she only has two points but has five assists and (creates) steals because she's in position, that's a huge deal for us."